I'm waiting delivery of a Superb in June but also thinking of changing our family Pug 206 for a Fabia TDI, possibly a Greenline, SWMBO uses it for work and covers a fair few miles at a fixed rate so the savings on fuel would contribute to the monthly payments. The current brochure and website details make no mention of the model, what's the trim level like and what are they like to drive? I read somewhere there's a Sport level now available as well but again the web makes no reference to this.

Also, how economical are the various versions of the 1.6 CR engine likely to be? The brochure suggests there's no difference between them, all three are identical!

We're not likely to make it to anywhere near a dealer for a couple of weeks but I'd like to try and get some basic info' in the meantime, can anyone tell me more?

Other contenders are Fiesta, Pug 106/ Citreon C1/ Toyota, Polo (looks expensive to me!) or the little Kia (nervous about residuals and service costs)

I'm waiting delivery of a Superb in June but also thinking of changing our family Pug 206 for a Fabia TDI, possibly a Greenline, SWMBO uses it for work and covers a fair few miles at a fixed rate so the savings on fuel would contribute to the monthly payments. The current brochure and website details make no mention of the model, what's the trim level like and what are they like to drive? I read somewhere there's a Sport level now available as well but again the web makes no reference to this.

Also, how economical are the various versions of the 1.6 CR engine likely to be? The brochure suggests there's no difference between them, all three are identical!

We're not likely to make it to anywhere near a dealer for a couple of weeks but I'd like to try and get some basic info' in the meantime, can anyone tell me more?

Other contenders are Fiesta, Pug 106/ Citreon C1/ Toyota, Polo (looks expensive to me!) or the little Kia (nervous about residuals and service costs)

I think the downloadable brochure from Skoda UK is the fullest info you'll get, describing trim levels and giving technical spec. The pictures aren't very illuminating though.

Reviews of the 1.6 TDIs in other VW cars tend to be favourable, though a consistent comment across the different powered versions, including even the 105 PS, is that they are unresponsive (even disconcertingly so) at low revs before the turbo kicks in. I've read one review suggesting the 75 PS version is a bit disappointing (I can't remember why, but that could just be journalists favouring power). The 105 isn't much more expensive than the 90. However the torque for the 90 is considerably up at 170 lbs/foot over the 1.4 80 PS it replaces and nearly as high as the outgoing 1.9TDI which suggests it is probably a good all rounder.

I think a poster on here has recently got a 90PS 1.6 TDI though he'd ordered a 1.4 80 PS!

Edited 18 May, 201016 yr by helix

My wife has a Pug 107, super little car but built down to a price. Gets a bit breathless to be honest and my Fabias 1.2 70hp is a much better engine. She gets great economy and servicing is expensive with Peugeot but half the cost at Toyota!!! As you probably know, the Aygo is the same car.

Id buy the Fabia if I were you, its a better car all round... dont dismiss the HTP model in 70hp trim... its a little cracker and Im getting around 48 o 50mpg now shes run in, but around 45 on the motorway. Id ignore the Polo, I really liked them at first but they just dont seem worth the money and the interior is really boring, the Ibiza is actually nicer and I didnt like them at first!

My wife has a Pug 107, super little car but built down to a price. Gets a bit breathless to be honest and my Fabias 1.2 70hp is a much better engine. She gets great economy and servicing is expensive with Peugeot but half the cost at Toyota!!! As you probably know, the Aygo is the same car.

Id buy the Fabia if I were you, its a better car all round... dont dismiss the HTP model in 70hp trim... its a little cracker and Im getting around 48 o 50mpg now shes run in, but around 45 on the motorway. Id ignore the Polo, I really liked them at first but they just dont seem worth the money and the interior is really boring, the Ibiza is actually nicer and I didnt like them at first!

I considered the 107 myself before choosing the Fabia. The 107 was really not a nice car with a terrible quality interior and penny pinching detail all over the car, and after the experience of 07 series cars with friends and family the reliability was always going to be hovering over me. I also looked at the Kia Soul a car with similar lines to the Fabia, and was interested in the Diesel Automatic but stories from the USA market steered me off that. The Fabia ticked all the boxes with a good trade in deal, and the fuel savings have made it a wise choice the only thing so far is the terrible after sales service which hopefully is isolated to that dealer.

I'm waiting delivery of a Superb in June but also thinking of changing our family Pug 206 for a Fabia TDI, possibly a Greenline, SWMBO uses it for work and covers a fair few miles at a fixed rate so the savings on fuel would contribute to the monthly payments. The current brochure and website details make no mention of the model, what's the trim level like and what are they like to drive? I read somewhere there's a Sport level now available as well but again the web makes no reference to this.

Also, how economical are the various versions of the 1.6 CR engine likely to be? The brochure suggests there's no difference between them, all three are identical!

We're not likely to make it to anywhere near a dealer for a couple of weeks but I'd like to try and get some basic info' in the meantime, can anyone tell me more?

Other contenders are Fiesta, Pug 106/ Citreon C1/ Toyota, Polo (looks expensive to me!) or the little Kia (nervous about residuals and service costs)

Hi Ranger, you are in the same dillema that many of us faced when wanting to replace a car. There are so many good ones out there now. However, do your leg work in the showrooms, drive them all, check out the build quality etc etc and then buy a Skoda. You won't regret it. That's the conclusion most of us reached...and we're all pretty savvy and of course, now completely biased! I was so completely NOT wanting to buy a Skoda to start with but when I did my research lasting some several months (I'm a bit fussy!)...errr ok ok, obsessed, that I could not make any other decision but to buy one. My diesel is brilliant to drive too. That was in 2008 and my Skoda is brilliant. Not one bit of trouble and very very cheap to run. The only car I have ever bought that hasn't been back to the dealers for adjustments, fixes or any problem solving (one 'A' pillar seal replaced at service due to being missing...and that's only cosmetic). My dealer is superb too.

Regarding the 1.6cr's, I believe they are brilliant from what I have read. My friend has driven the 105ps Golf with this engine in and he said it blew his mind away with the torque and pick up of the engine...but didn't like the flakey reliability of VW. He has experience of that! One of two people on here have got the Skoda Fabia with them in and will no doubt chime in when they see your post. They are very perky performers and very very economical, even more so than my 1.4TDI. Remember to, that magazines often have new or nearly new motors to test and the engines are very tight, especially diesels. It takes a good 10k miles to loosen one up properly and it's only then they start to perform as designed!

Good luck.

Hi Ranger, you are in the same dillema that many of us faced when wanting to replace a car. There are so many good ones out there now. However, do your leg work in the showrooms, drive them all, check out the build quality etc etc and then buy a Skoda. You won't regret it. That's the conclusion most of us reached...and we're all pretty savvy and of course, now completely biased! I was so completely NOT wanting to buy a Skoda to start with but when I did my research lasting some several months (I'm a bit fussy!)...errr ok ok, obsessed, that I could not make any other decision but to buy one. My diesel is brilliant to drive too. That was in 2008 and my Skoda is brilliant. Not one bit of trouble and very very cheap to run. The only car I have ever bought that hasn't been back to the dealers for adjustments, fixes or any problem solving (one 'A' pillar seal replaced at service due to being missing...and that's only cosmetic). My dealer is superb too.

Regarding the 1.6cr's, I believe they are brilliant from what I have read. My friend has driven the 105ps Golf with this engine in and he said it blew his mind away with the torque and pick up of the engine...but didn't like the flakey reliability of VW. He has experience of that! One of two people on here have got the Skoda Fabia with them in and will no doubt chime in when they see your post. They are very perky performers and very very economical, even more so than my 1.4TDI. Remember to, that magazines often have new or nearly new motors to test and the engines are very tight, especially diesels. It takes a good 10k miles to loosen one up properly and it's only then they start to perform as designed!

Good luck.

I take your point about doing homework, I've been through it once already when looking for my car and hence ended up ordering a Superb. I couldn't find anything as comfortable, driveable, economical, well equipped or well built, so went with that. That's probably why I've started with the Fabia and will have to compare everything else to it. Of course SWMBO will have a say in it as well and she's a big fan of her Pug so that will be the one to beat, shouldn't be too difficult but the spec' of the 206 we have is pretty good so I'm guessing she'll want auto lights, wipers etc. That might dictate going for a higher spec' model which probably won't exist on the 107.

I've already driven a new Polo 1.2 Petrol in base spec' when my Touran was in for service and was less than impressed, uncomfortable seats, tacky trim and thirsty to boot, although it did feel pretty well built compared to many other small cars. On the same trip my 140 TDI Touran was hitting 46 - 48mpg on, the Polo struggled to get to 40, granted it was brand new, 86 miles when I picked it up, but it didn't inspire me much. Diesel in a Polo would be a must.

Edited 19 May, 201016 yr by Ranger